Tuesday, December 20, 2011

At the community meeting this evening Commonwealth Ventures outlined their plans for the construction of 5,7,9 Channel Center. They will need to re-route Channel Center traffic at different points, but will keep access to all of the buildings. They plan on having construction vehicles will enter and exit on the far side (the entrance closest to Artists for Humanities), but don't own that whole street so are still finalizing that. Equipment and materials are going to be kept next the building on the side opposite Midway.

As residents who were living here in 2008 may remember, when they did the work on the building their office is in, they kept loud sandblasting equipment going on weekends and until past 7pm at night. They were able to get permits for this by claiming the work was indoors (as only the loud equipment was outside; the sandblasting was inside). This blog post from Christmas 2008 has more details.

For this project they will be doing similar sand blasting on the interiors, so will have similar equipment. They are going to try to schedule construction for 7AM - 3PM, but they couldn't guarantee that they would not work later or on weekends. As a reminder, if there problems with this or any construction work, city residents can always call Inspectional Services with issues: 617.635.1010.

Commonwealth Ventures is going to create a website and try to keep the community updated with progress and any issues / inconveniences that come up and welcomed input. It will also have timelines and plans. They haven't finalized the URL for this new site.

The Innovation District’s momentum
continues with the BRA Board’s unanimous approval of phase 1 of the Pier
4 project, a three phase project located at 136-146 Northern Avenue on
9.5 acres. Phase 2 and 3 will be approved as specific projects are
submitted to the BRA Board for review. The approval of Pier 4 just one
month after the approval of 319 A Street answers the call for housing in
the area.

Phase 1 is a $150 million project that
will transform an existing restaurant, patio, surface parking, and
deteriorating pier into a vibrant, waterfront mixed-use complex with
625,000 square feet of residential space, 20,000 square feet of public
civic space, and 20,000 square feet of ground floor retail space.
Thirty-five of the residential units created in phase 1 will be
affordable, and 50 of the residential units will be innovation housing.
When phases 2 and 3 are submitted to the BRA for review, there will be
additional affordable housing.Pier 4 will enhance the public’s
interaction with the harbor by creating new waterfront open space areas,
including a one-acre Waterfront Park, Waterfront Plaza, 1,800 feet of
Harborwalk, the Water Commons consisting of a water taxi landing area
and covered waiting area, public restrooms, and the All-Seasons
Gathering Area linking to the civic space. The deteriorating pier will
undergo significant repairs, and the area will house a “touch and go”
dock, fish cleaning station and bait and tackle shop. Additionally,
approximately $2 million will be contributed to improved water
transportation services in the District.As part of the District’s development
into a 24-hour neighborhood, Pier 4 will bring residential, hotel,
retail/restaurant, civic, and commercial uses to the waterfront.
Boston’s waterfront economy will be strengthened, and the Pier 4 project
will create a new community on Boston’s waterfront. Parking will move
below ground opening surface area space for pedestrian use. Community
activities in new, open waterfront space will be created, and a
pedestrian and vehicular network across the 9.5 acres will be built
improving the physical and visual access of the public to the harbor.The development team includes New
England Development LLC, architects ADD Inc, and legal counsel, Goulston
& Storrs, P.C. Phase I will create 400 construction jobs.The Innovation District is an area on
the South Boston Waterfront focused on attracting startup companies and
innovation industries. Over 90 companies and 2,800 new jobs have moved
to the Innovation District since the Mayor announced the creation of the
district in January 2010.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

A Community Meeting to discuss the construction activity at 5 Channel
Center has been scheduled for Tuesday - December 20th at 5:30. The
meeting will be held on the 2nd floor of 10 Channel Center. Commonwealth
Ventures will be discussing construction plans
for 5 Channel Center and other logistics associated with the project.

Wednesday, December 07, 2011

TheFORT POINT CHANNEL LANDMARK DISTRICT COMMISSIONwill hold a public hearing:

DATE: Thursday, December 8, 2011

TIME: 5:30 P.M.

PLACE: BOSTON CITY HALL,CURLEY ROOM

Subject of the hearing will be applications for Certificates of Design Approval on the agenda below, reviews of architectural violations, and such businesses as may come before the commission, in accordance with Chapter 772 of the Acts of 1975, as amended. Applications are available for public inspection during normal business hours at the office of the Environment Department. Sign language interpreters are available upon request.

Please ensure that all electronic devices are silenced prior to entering the hearing room.

After 5:30 p.m., enter and exit City Hall at the Dock Square entrance on Congress Street (across from Faneuil Hall).